MEDIA RELEASE
15 October 2009
Mary River Stops Flowing
Recently, the Mary River has stopped flowing to the sea, raising concerns from campaigners regarding what the future holds for the lower Mary catchment and Great Sandy Strait if the proposed Traveston Crossing dam were approved by the Federal Government.
“No water is flowing over the tidal barrage on the Mary River to connect the Mary to the sea,” said Darryl Stewart, Chairman of the Greater Mary Association. “And what is more, Brisbane has not received a drop of water from the Mary yet.”
“When there is no flow over the barrage this means no fresh water to nurture the estuary and its fishery or the Marine Park of the Great Sandy Strait and its internationally vital Ramsar wetlands for migratory shorebirds. The longer the flow stops, the more effect it has on water quality in the estuary. This means steadily deteriorating conditions for estuarine creatures.”
In most years, whether in drought or not, the flow in the Mary falls markedly in the so called “JASON” months from July to November which are the driest months of the year. It then requires substantial rainfall, most of which falls in the upper reaches of the catchment, to provide sufficient run off to regenerate flow down the length of the river.
“The fact that 78% of the Mary catchment happens to lie below the proposed dam is irrelevant rubbish and is one example of the desperate depths that the Queensland Government has reached in trying to justify this unjustifiable dam,” said Mr. Stewart.
“Would someone please advise the Premier and her lame duck cabinet that even Queensland fifth graders know that it is rainfall that drives river flow. The part of the catchment downstream of the proposed dam site might be bigger but it is drier. For example between 1996 and 2005 the part of the catchment around Tiaro produced only 10mm of runoff into the river each year. That is twenty times less than the amount contributed upstream of the proposed dam. Clearly, we need the flows from upstream where more rain falls to provide flows downstream.”
“If we can get that message through to the Premier this week, we might try another simple learning message next week. Watch this space.”
“The situation where we see no flow going to the estuary occurs under the guidance of the Mary Basin Water Resource Plan,” explained Tanzi Smith, Research Coordinator from the Greater Mary Association.
“This is the same regulation that will be operating if the proposed dam goes ahead. This is the same regulation which mysteriously and without scientific justification identified 150,000 ML of water in the Mary Catchment that is available for use. This is the same regulation which is used as a justification for the proposed dam.”
“The Queensland Coordinator General continues to rely on this flawed regulation. He seems to be saying “trust me, it’ll be all right,” suggested Ms Smith. “But we know that the very foundation of the Coordinator General’s claims is full of yawning holes! If the proposed dam goes ahead, nothing is going to improve. Irrigators entitlements won’t improve, the health of the river and the estuary won’t improve. It will only get worse.”
“It is Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd, our Prime Minister from Queensland, who now have the power to stop this unnecessary dam,” concluded Ms Smith.
The Greater Mary Association is calling on the general public to talk to their local member and write to both Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd to express opposition to the proposed dam. The public is asked to urge Rudd and Garrett to “Just say No” and to assist the Queensland Government to pursue cheaper and more reliable alternatives.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Darryl Stewart 041 877 1655, Tanzi Smith 040 584 8375
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15 October 2009
Mary River Stops Flowing
Recently, the Mary River has stopped flowing to the sea, raising concerns from campaigners regarding what the future holds for the lower Mary catchment and Great Sandy Strait if the proposed Traveston Crossing dam were approved by the Federal Government.
“No water is flowing over the tidal barrage on the Mary River to connect the Mary to the sea,” said Darryl Stewart, Chairman of the Greater Mary Association. “And what is more, Brisbane has not received a drop of water from the Mary yet.”
“When there is no flow over the barrage this means no fresh water to nurture the estuary and its fishery or the Marine Park of the Great Sandy Strait and its internationally vital Ramsar wetlands for migratory shorebirds. The longer the flow stops, the more effect it has on water quality in the estuary. This means steadily deteriorating conditions for estuarine creatures.”
In most years, whether in drought or not, the flow in the Mary falls markedly in the so called “JASON” months from July to November which are the driest months of the year. It then requires substantial rainfall, most of which falls in the upper reaches of the catchment, to provide sufficient run off to regenerate flow down the length of the river.
“The fact that 78% of the Mary catchment happens to lie below the proposed dam is irrelevant rubbish and is one example of the desperate depths that the Queensland Government has reached in trying to justify this unjustifiable dam,” said Mr. Stewart.
“Would someone please advise the Premier and her lame duck cabinet that even Queensland fifth graders know that it is rainfall that drives river flow. The part of the catchment downstream of the proposed dam site might be bigger but it is drier. For example between 1996 and 2005 the part of the catchment around Tiaro produced only 10mm of runoff into the river each year. That is twenty times less than the amount contributed upstream of the proposed dam. Clearly, we need the flows from upstream where more rain falls to provide flows downstream.”
“If we can get that message through to the Premier this week, we might try another simple learning message next week. Watch this space.”
“The situation where we see no flow going to the estuary occurs under the guidance of the Mary Basin Water Resource Plan,” explained Tanzi Smith, Research Coordinator from the Greater Mary Association.
“This is the same regulation that will be operating if the proposed dam goes ahead. This is the same regulation which mysteriously and without scientific justification identified 150,000 ML of water in the Mary Catchment that is available for use. This is the same regulation which is used as a justification for the proposed dam.”
“The Queensland Coordinator General continues to rely on this flawed regulation. He seems to be saying “trust me, it’ll be all right,” suggested Ms Smith. “But we know that the very foundation of the Coordinator General’s claims is full of yawning holes! If the proposed dam goes ahead, nothing is going to improve. Irrigators entitlements won’t improve, the health of the river and the estuary won’t improve. It will only get worse.”
“It is Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd, our Prime Minister from Queensland, who now have the power to stop this unnecessary dam,” concluded Ms Smith.
The Greater Mary Association is calling on the general public to talk to their local member and write to both Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd to express opposition to the proposed dam. The public is asked to urge Rudd and Garrett to “Just say No” and to assist the Queensland Government to pursue cheaper and more reliable alternatives.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Darryl Stewart 041 877 1655, Tanzi Smith 040 584 8375~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
